Eighteen-year-old Terrance Wright was
murdered Friday on Chicago's South Side and his family believes he
was killed because he was gay.

CBS Chicago reported that Wright lost
his life at 99th and Yates. Police speculate that he died
in the course of an attempted robbery.

The Banner Academy South High School
senior was approached after leaving his school in the Jeffrey Manor
neighborhood, The
Chicago Tribune reported. Police said Terrance fought back
five attackers and was shot in the chest.

Wright's family claims that the teen
was murdered because he was openly gay.

“I believe they only did that to him
because he was gay,” said
Javone Wright, Terrance's 16-year-old brother.

“What they going to rob him of –
his books?” rhetorically asked Wright's uncle, Tywan Bouldin, who
also believes his nephew died because of his sexual orientation.

Bouldin said Terrance was bullied at
school and in his neighborhood.

“They had to kill my cousin because
he was gay,” said Kenyatta Rogers. “That's crazy.”